Valve for sprinkler systems



NOV. 27, 1945. H N gb 2,389,8l7

VALVE FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Filed March 10, 1944 Z/qrr JM a er ZSxwentor Wf m,

Patented Nov. 27, 1945 VALVE FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Harry N. Rider, Youngstown, Ohio assignor to Automatic Sprinkler Company of America, Youngstown, Ohio, a. corporation of Delaware Application March 10, 1944, Serial No. 525,929

Claims.

This invention relates to a control valve for a Sprinkler system andrmore. particularly to a valve of. the latched clapper type.

The principal object of the invention. is the provision of a control valve for use in controlling the entrance of fire extinguishing fluid to. a sprinkler system.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a control valve for a sprinkler system capable of remote actuation.

A still further objectv of the invention is the provision of a. main valve for a sprinkler system incorporating a normally latched clapper controlling a fluid passageway therethrough and solenoid actuated means for unlatchin the. said clapper subject to remote actuation.

The control valve for a sprinkler system shown and described herein has been designed to provide an efiicient and simple valve construction. which may be used to control the entrance of fire extinguishing fluid to the piping of a. sprinkler system. The valve element or the valve comprises a, clapper which is held in normally closed position by means or a movable latch which in turn is adapted for actuation by a solenoid which is actuated by electric thermostats located in the fire zone.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe combination and arrangement of parts. and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed. can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

The figure is a cross sectional side elevation of the control valve.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application on Pressure tank sprinkler system with secondary supply, Serial No. 450,659, filed July 13, 1942.

By referring to the drawing it will be seen that an automatically actuated main control valve for a sprinkler system has been illustrated and that the body of the valve is indicated by the numeral Ill and that it is provided with an inlet orifice l l and an outlet orifice l2 and forms a valve chamber IS. A clapper I4 is pivoted to the valve body It] by means of a pivot I5 and serves to close the inlet orifice H at a point where it communicates with the valve chamber 13 by way of a seat ring IS. A latch portion ll of the clapper [4 extends outwardly at one side and is adapted to be retainedbeneath, a keeper I8 which in turn is pivoted to the valve body ID by means of a pivot i9. An anti-reseating latch 20 is also provided. A keeper bar 2i is pivoted to the keeper l8 by means of a pivot 22 and extends outwardly of the valve body It] through an opening 23, passing centrally through; and afiixed in a fluid-tight manner to a flexible diaphragm 24. The flexible diaphragm 24' is afiixed across the opening 23 in the valve body H) in a fluid-tight manner. A plate 25 is positioned adjacent, the diaphragm 24 to lend structural support thereto at such times as the clapper I4 is unlatched and open. The keeper bar 2| extends beyond the plate 25, passing through a central opening therein and terminates in a, T headed member 26. Lever arms 2? forming a part of an actuating lever 28 pivoted to the valve body by means of a pivot 29, serve to transmit motion to the keeper It! so as to unlatch the clapper M, such motion bein imparted to the lever 28 by means of a solenoid 30, the solenoid 3i! being of a size capable of suijficient movement to unlatch the clapper Id. The solenoid 36 LS connected by means of electric wires 3i with remotely positioned heat actuated circuit closer such as is known in the art and with a power source and any necessary relay mechanisms so that it may be actuated thereby. The solenoid 30 is mounted in a housing 32 which in turn is mounted on the valve body ll] over the opening 23 therein. This form of solenoid actuated control valve can be employed with various forms of sprinkler systems such as are known in the art in which it; will Iorm an efficient, and reliable main control valve for controlling the entrance of fire extinguishing fluid thereinto.

The solenoid is electrically connected with suitable thermostats in the fire Zone, which thermostats may comprise circuit closures subject in operation to a rate-of-rise" of temperature or fixed temperature operation. In the drawing one of these thermostats is indicated symbolically by the numeral 33. It will also be seen that if desired the valve may be adapted for manual operation by the simple provision of a manual pull cable attached to the T headed member 26, one end 01 the manual pull cable extending outwardly through the housing 32 where it may be grasped and moved manually in order to unlatch the valve.

It will be seen that when the electrical thermostat 33 detects a fire in a fire zone and in turn actuates the solenoid 30 the motion imparted to the keeper bar 2| serves to move the keeper 3 which directly controls the clapper M of the valve. The fire extinguishing fluid beneath the clapper will then raise the clapper l4 and flow through the valve out of the outlet orifice thereof and any sprinkler piping in connection therewith. In order to reseat the valve after operation it is necessary to shut off the supply of fire extinguishing fluid, open the hand hole opening provided. in the side of the valve body In (not shown) and move the anti-reseating latch 20 to permit the clapper to be reseated upon the seat ring IS. The keeper I8 is then moved into position on the clapper and the valve closed and the supply of fire extinguishing fluid re-established. The various parts of the mechanism controlling the movement of the keeper l8 are linked to one another and to the keeper Ill so that when it is manually reset upon the clapper the control mechanism is automatically reset and immediately ready for subsequent operation.

It will thus be seen that a-sprinkler valve has been disclosed wherein an electrically actuated solenoid in'connection with a simple lever arrangement serves to-unlatch the clapper thereof to permit the valve to open.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: a

1. In a deluge valve including a valve casing enclosing a chamber and formed with an opening into said chamber, a clapper pivotally mounted in said chamber, and a keeper engaging said clapper to maintain said clapper in closed position; mechanism controlling release of said keeper comprising a housing aflixed on said casing and having a passage in alignment with said opening, a lever pivoted in said housing, a keeper bar mounted for motion in said housing, the said lever engaging said keeper bar, one end of the said keeper bar extending through said aligned opening and passage and attached to said keeper, and a solenoid including a plunger for moving said lever. Y

2. In a deluge valve including a valve casing enclosing a chamber and formed with an opening into said chamber, a clapper pivotall mounted in said chamber, and a keeper engaging saidclapper to maintain said clapper in closed position; mechanism controlling release of said keeper comprising a housing afiixeddn said casing and having a passage in alignment with said opening, a lever pivoted in said housing, a keeper bar mounted for motion in said housing,-the said lever engaging said keeper bar, one end of the said keeper bar extending through said aligned opening and passage and attached to said keeper, a diaphragm associated with the means for mounting the said keeper bar for sealin said passage, and a solenoid including a plunger for moving said lever.

3. In a deluge valve including a valve casing enclosing a chamber formed with an opening into said chamber, a clapper pivotally mounted in said chamber, and a keeper engaging said clapper to maintain said clapper in closed position; mechanism controlling release of said keeper comprising a housing affixed on said casing and having a passage in alignment with said opening, a lever pivoted in said housing, a keeper bar mounted for motion in said housing, an annular flange formed on said keeper bar, the said lever engaging said keeper bar adjacent said annular flange thereof, the other end of the said keeper bar extended through said aligned opening and passage and attached to said keeper, a solenoid including a plunger for moving said lever.

4. In a deluge valve including a valve casing enclosing a chamber and formed with an opening into said chamber, a clapper pivotally mounted in said chamber, and a keeper engaging said clapper to maintain said clapper in closed position; mechanism controlling release of said keeper comprising a housing affixed on said casing and having a passagein alignment with said opening, a lever pivoted in said housing, a keeper bar mounted for motion in said housing, a T-headed end formed on said keeper bar, the said lever engaging the said T-headed end of the said keeper bar, the other end of the said keeper bar extending through said aligned opening and passage and attached to said keeper, a diaphragm affixed to the means for mounting the said keeper bar for sealing said passage, and a solenoid including a plunger for moving said lever.

5. In a deluge valve including a valve casing enclosing a chamber and formed with an opening in the said chamber, a clapper pivotally mounted in said chamber, and a keeper engaging said clapper to maintain said clapper in closed position; mechanism controlling release of said keeper comprising a housing afiixed on said casing and having a passage in alignment with said openin a keeper bar attached to said keeper and positioned through said opening and passage, a diaphragm attached thereto for supporting the same and for sealing the said passage, a solenoid including a plunger in said housing and means connecting the said plunger with the said keeper bar.

HARRY N. RIDER. 

